James Burton Decimus Burton Newsletter Spring 2020 · James Burton 1761-1837 Decimus Burton...

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1 Newsletter Spring 2020 50th anniversary edition THE REGENT’S PARK AND DECIMUS BURTON Decimus Burton’s first architectural exercise, at the age of 17, was to design his family’s own house, the Holme, in Regent’s Park. He was later to have a hand in most of the remaining seven original villas. In 1821, he ‘gave the designs’ for the first terrace, Cornwall Terrace, soon fol- lowed by Clarence Terrace. Between 1824 and 1829, his works included the Zoo, and the long- since demolished ‘Colosseum,’ together with its central lift and surrounding conservatories. Fi- nally, in the 1840s, he designed, along with Richard Turner, the ‘Winter Garden’ in the Inner Circle, for the Royal Botanical Society (now also demolished and replaced by Queen Mary’s Rose Garden). In this way, Regent’s Park became Decimus Burton’s training ground as an archi- tect and landscape designer. Cornwall Terrace, built between 1821 and 1823 by James Burton to a design by Decimus Burton It could indeed be said that Decimus was based at the very centre of London’s transforma- tion into a capital worthy of the victors of Waterloo. ‘Once, and only once,’ claimed John Sum- merson, ‘has a grand plan for London, affecting the capital as a whole, been projected and car- ried to completion.’ This grand plan arose from the need to connect the park, originally con- ceived as a kind of royal housing speculation, to the centre of government in Westminster, by creating Regent Street. By the 1830s, these developments were to bring about the entire ‘reshaping’ of the West End. This included the opening up Trafalgar Square and dignifying The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace, with the squat Grecian columns of Carlton House Terrace. James Burton 1761-1837 Decimus Burton 1800-1881

Transcript of James Burton Decimus Burton Newsletter Spring 2020 · James Burton 1761-1837 Decimus Burton...

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Newsletter Spring 2020

50th anniversary edition

THE REGENT’S PARK AND DECIMUS BURTON

Decimus Burton’s first architectural exercise, at the age of 17, was to design his family’s own

house, the Holme, in Regent’s Park. He was later to have a hand in most of the remaining seven

original villas. In 1821, he ‘gave the designs’ for the first terrace, Cornwall Terrace, soon fol-

lowed by Clarence Terrace. Between 1824 and 1829, his works included the Zoo, and the long-

since demolished ‘Colosseum,’ together with its central lift and surrounding conservatories. Fi-

nally, in the 1840s, he designed, along with Richard Turner, the ‘Winter Garden’ in the Inner

Circle, for the Royal Botanical Society (now also demolished and replaced by Queen Mary’s

Rose Garden). In this way, Regent’s Park became Decimus Burton’s training ground as an archi-

tect and landscape designer.

Cornwall Terrace, built between 1821 and 1823 by James Burton to a design by Decimus Burton

It could indeed be said that Decimus was based at the very centre of London’s transforma-

tion into a capital worthy of the victors of Waterloo. ‘Once, and only once,’ claimed John Sum-

merson, ‘has a grand plan for London, affecting the capital as a whole, been projected and car-

ried to completion.’ This grand plan arose from the need to connect the park, originally con-

ceived as a kind of royal housing speculation, to the centre of government in Westminster, by

creating Regent Street. By the 1830s, these developments were to bring about the entire

‘reshaping’ of the West End. This included the opening up Trafalgar Square and dignifying The

Mall leading to Buckingham Palace, with the squat Grecian columns of Carlton House Terrace.

James Burton

1761-1837

Decimus Burton

1800-1881

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The overall architect and town planner of these great ‘metropolitan improvements’ was the

Regent’s current favourite architect, John Nash. ‘Nash’s genius’ explains Geoffrey Tyack ‘was to

plan the operation and carry it through to completion, and for this achievement, Londoners and

visitors to the capital still remain in his debt.’

Decimus Burton would have learned much from Nash’s skills in picturesque landscape plan-

ning, largely gleaned from Humphry Repton, Nash’s former partner. Decimus would also

have benefited greatly from his father’s hard work as Nash’s leading builder, whose connec-

tions included investors in the park. Among these was John Ward, who was later to involve

Decimus in his Calverley Estate in Tunbridge Wells. Regent’s Park was also the site of the dis-

covery of the young architect’s talents by the then Joint Secretary to the Treasury, Charles Ar-

buthnot. As first Commissioner of Woods and Forests, he was to commission the young archi-

tect to design the neo-classical arch and grand entrance at Hyde Park Corner, in the mid 1820s.

The villas of Regent’s Park

The Holme (left) designed by Decimus Burton, aged 17, as a home for his family; built by his father in 1818;

and Grove House (originally Grove Lodge) designed by Decimus in 1822 and built over the next two years

The villas, scattered in the park itself, provided a unique feature. Elegant, stuccoed and classi-

cal, each one was to give the impression that it was the only dwelling there: each owner was to

feel lord of all he surveyed. And if another villa were glimpsed across the lake or among the

trees, it could play the role of a ‘fabrique’ or eye-catcher, much like the mini temples in the large,

private country house parks. Nash originally wanted to build 56 villas, but this was whittled

down to eight or so, and only two of Burton’s villas remain relatively intact today: The Holme

and The Grove, both of which are firmly closed to the public. However, the setting of the Holme,

the first inhabited villa of the park, can just be seen across the lake.

The Terraces

Both Cornwall and Clarence Terraces can be seen externally. They are good examples of the

stuccoed theatricality of a row of London terraced houses, made to look like single palaces.

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Modern additions

Modern additions to the park include those at the Zoo and the remarkable 1964 Royal College

of Physicians by Denis Lasdun, ‘brutalist’ architect of the National Theatre. By contrast, there are

six villas in varieties of Georgian style by the architect Quinlan Terry on the north western edge

of the park.

Elizabeth Nathaniels

Quinlan Terry‘s Ionic Villa

Quinlan Terry (b. 1937) is the best-known modern architect designing in neo-classical style. His

Ionic Villa above is one of six of his design located between Regent's Park's Outer Circle and

the Regent’s Canal, the others being the Veneto, Doric, Corinthian, Gothick and Regency.

Note: Prior to the Society’s visit to the Regent’s Park on Tuesday, 21st April, there will be an illustrated

talk given by Elizabeth Nathaniels on Sunday 19th April in the Music Room at 6, The Uplands, off Maze

Hill, St Leonards at 6pm — appropriately in one of the best preserved buildings locally designed by

Decimus Burton.

The Society is very grateful to Alan Privett for making this available to us. The inclusive charge for the

talk and visit will be £25 for members, £30 for non-members. For further information please email us at:

[email protected]

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Looking back - looking forward: reflections by the Chair of Trustees

The Burtons’ St Leonards Society recently completed 50 years as a registered charity. Looking

back to its early days it is hard to believe now that few people locally had any understanding of

the importance of James Burton’s New Town or that the oddly named Decimus had added very

significantly to it. There was a dominant body of opinion that its remaining Georgian and mid-

Victorian buildings should be demolished and replaced with curtain-walled blocks.

The early battles to establish the importance of the Burtons’ heritage were intense and

fraught. More buildings were demolished, notably the cottage orné lodge to the Archery Gar-

dens and Rosemount on the north-west boundary of the Burton Estate. The Archery Gardens

were savagely built over. However, much else that had been earmarked for demolition was

saved— notably the James Burton cottages 14, 16 and 18 West Hill Road and Decimus Burton’s

Archery Villas, which were then occupied by the College of Further Education

The now demolished College of Further Education built inappropriately on the Archery Ground in the 1950s

and, below, the site cleared for redevelopment after the demolition

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The design for new housing on the site, by Gemselect (see their website), which is now close to completion. The

Decimus Burton villas at the south end of the site have been retained and are being restored and refurbished.

The contrast with today is encouraging. The College was wisely re-sited adjacent to Hast-

ings Station, the building demolished, and the Archery Villas are being restored to their 1860’s

use as commodious residences. Other buildings which had lain empty or under-used have

been restored — notably the former Turkish Baths on West Hill Road and 13 Maze Hill. Why

this renaissance? There are several reasons for it but there can be little doubt that the prime

one is that the quality of the local heritage is attracting people disillusioned with the medioc-

rity of much development since the 1950s; many are now being drawn to the improved envi-

ronment of St Leonards. Its heritage is, as we have always argued, its biggest asset.

It is tempting to conclude that the Burtons St Leonards Society is redundant - it has done its

job: market forces will henceforth drive the revival of St Leonards as a tourist resort and town

for many who are quitting London. However, new challenges present themselves. Many of

the new residents want information about the architectural and social history of St Leonards.

An important and demanding duty is maintaining South Lodge as the base for the upkeep of

St Leonards Gardens and cultural events held in them. South Lodge is also the only cultural

centre devoted specifically to the architectural and social histories of St Leonards. The Society

has a duty to promote these by guided walks, talks and other cultural events. At a national

level it has become a respected source of information about the achievements of James Burton

and his many children. All this is done by a group of dedicated volunteers. The Society’s fu-

ture depends on new volunteers. If you are newly resident in St Leonards, you will find that

a pleasant and rewarding way to enjoy the fruits of residence is by becoming one of them!

Please see membership details on the last page of this newsletter!

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The first annual general meeting of the Decimus Burton Society was held on 23rd January at

Salomons, Tunbridge Wells. The meeting was called to adopt the constitution and elect a com-

mittee. The objectives of the Society are to revive the memory of Decimus Burton; to arrange vis-

its to Burton-designed buildings, places and landscapes; and to support research by students and

others into his life and work. An illustrated talk was given by architect Aimée Felton of Donald

Insall Associates. Her subject was ‘Decimus Burton at Kew’, with particular reference to the Tem-

perate House at the Botanical Gardens which has recently undergone a complete renovation un-

der her direction. When it was built in the early 1860s it was the largest glass-house in the world.

(The wings were added at the end of the century.) Decimus Burton played a central role in its

creation.

The recently restored Temperate House at Kew (see our Newsletters for Spring and Autumn 2019 for further details).

Trustees were elected as follows: Paul Avis (Chairman), Aimée Felton (Vice-chairman), Rich-

ard Holme (Treasurer), Chris Jones (Secretary), Caroline Auckland, Amanda-Jane Doran, Guy

Fearon and Stuart Page. Philip Whitbourn was confirmed as President, Dr Jennifer Freeman

Vice-president. Donald Insall and Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia were named as patrons.

Philip Whitbourn was presented with a drawing of Burton to hold on behalf of the Society.

.

Aimée Felton, Paul Avis, Philip Whitbourn, Elizabeth Nathaniels, Chris Jones, Stuart Page

at the Decimus Burton Society AGM

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Park Beck, 21 Upper Maze Hill: its historical importance

Two recent planning applications were submitted to demolish the cottage orné Park Beck - 21 Up-

per Maze Hill. Both these applications were withdrawn in the face of objections by the Society

and local residents primarily on the grounds that this house is one of few surviving local exam-

ples of this genre and that the proposed replacement would be out of character with this part of

the Markwick Gardens Conservation Area. Subsequent research at the East Sussex County Re-

cords Office (The Keep) has also revealed the historical importance of this house, which we now

summarise.

James Burton’s St Leonards New Town and Decimus Burton’s additions were constructed on

the southern fringe of Gensing Farm, an outlier of the extensive lands of the Everfields of Dene

Park, Horsham. The Deudney family had for several generations farmed this land extending to

Silverhill; they were also the local agent of the Eversfield Estate. Their home over many genera-

tions was a farmhouse located close to what is now the junction of Dane and Brittany Roads.

Robert Deudney was born there in 1803 and managed the Eversfields’ local interests until his fi-

nal years.

In 1850 the Eversfield Estate decided to sell the remainder of Gensing Farm for housing for the

rising affluent middle class and commissioned the architect, Francis Fowler, to devise a corre-

sponding plan - Eversfield Park. The legacy of this is primarily the generous provisions for roads

and pavements of Pevensey, Dane, Brittany and Albany Roads, Upper Maze Hill and Markwick

Terrace and Gardens. The Gensing Farmhouse was demolished and in compensation, Francis

Fowler designed Gensing House for the Deudney family in the cottage orné style. Robert Deud-

ney took up residence in this in 1853 and lived there until his death in 1883.

From 1832 to 1850 Deudney was a Commissioner of St Leonards but thereafter switched his

allegiance to what was to become the County Borough of Hastings, firstly as a member of its

Highways Board and latterly an Alderman and Justice of the Peace. In his life, besides being a

farmer, he had a major role in a the establishment of James Burton’s New Town and latterly in

the development of a substantial seaside resort incorporating the cinque port of Hastings west-

wards to its limb of Bulverhythe and the enlarged St Leonards New Town and inland to the ham-

lets of Hollington, Baldslow and Ore.

Park Beck in Upper Maze Hill, whose recently proposed demolition the Society successfully opposed

In 1904 Gensing House was sold by his family to a new owner who commissioned local archi-

tects Pigott and Oxley to design an extension and renamed the enlarged house ‘Park Beck’. In the

mid-20th century it was the rectory of St Leonards Parish.

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Dates for the diary

Sunday 22nd March—Christopher Maxwell-Stewart—Royal Victoria Hotel 4pm—Vandeleur

Benjamin Crake and family: their cultural and architectural contributions to St Leonards and

Hastings (see fuller details on opposite page).

Sunday 12th April—Children’s Event - “Egg Rolling”, 11am , St Leonards Garden

Sunday 19th April—Talk by Elizabeth Nathaniels at 6 The Uplands, off Maze Hill, 6pm, prior to

the visit to the Regent’s Park on 21st April (see below)

Tuesday 21st April—Regent’s Park Terraces and Villas—visit by coach (see page 3)

Saturday 16th May—Members’ Garden Party—3pm South Lodge and Garden

The Society has recently acquired

a letter from Decimus Burton to

Miss Mary Birkett, aged about 35

at the time, who lived with her

parents at 18 Maze Hill, close to

Decimus’s residence, now known

as St Leonards Lodge. He writes

from his London home. The first

page is shown here.

The letter goes on to refer to the

Brassey family and, in particular,

to Mrs Anna Brassey (later Lady

Brassey) and to her having had a

cough while on board their yacht,

the Eothen.

(Details of the Brasseys’ prowess

on their steam yacht can be seen

in the Durbar Hall at Hastings

Museum — the hall itself having

been donated by the Brasseys.)

Decimus asks Miss Birkett to

give his kindest regards to her

Mama and Papa.

The letter has one or two eccen

tricities in spelling; but it suggests

Decimus’ wide range of interests.

More details will be given in our

next newsletter.

A transcription of the whole will

be available on request.

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Vandeleur Benjamin Crake & Family

Their cultural & architectural contributions to St Leonards & Hastings

Sunday 22nd March : Talk by Christopher Maxwell-Stewart

Royal Victoria Hotel 4 pm. £2.50 members & £5.00 non-members

Vandeleur Benjamin Crake (1816–1894) was the foremost member of the Crake family who made

major contributions to the architectural and cultural heritage of St Leonards in the later decades

of the 19th Century. The Scottish baronial ‘Highlands Gardens’ are his most obvious bequest.

Of equal importance architecturally are the ‘Arts

and Crafts’ residences in Boscobel Road which he

commissioned Philip Tree to design. His life was

a contrast of great sadness and wonderful friend-

ships most notably with Edward Lear.

Christopher Maxwell-Stewart was a founding

trustee of the Burtons’ St Leonards Society and is

the current chair. In recent years he has re-

searched the development of St Leonards beyond

the Burton Estate.

Readers may also be interested to know that an essay by Kent Barker about the wider Crake

family is due to appear in April in the next volume of Bygones, published by the Hastings Local

History Group. The author thanks especially Heather Grief and Brian Lawes as well as all at the

HLHG and, for their time and help, Christopher Maxwell-Stewart and Hugh Bryant of the Bur-

tons’ St Leonards Society, and Anne Scott of the Old Hastings Preservation Society.

Kent Barker is also carrying out research into the ten volumes of Thomas Brandon Brett’s in-

valuable Hastings History. The East Sussex Library Service has scanned and digitised these and

Kent now has all ten volumes on disk and will be glad to share them with anyone interested. He

would also like to hear from anyone who might like to help with an eventual transcription or

who has ideas as to how money might be raised to get them transcribed professionally.

Burtons’ St Leonards Sausages (with apologies to our vegetarian and vegan members)!

It’s hard to believe that the epithet “Burtons’ St Leonards” was invented half a century ago by the found-

ing trustees of the Society to reflect its prime objective - the conservation of the local works of James and

Decimus Burton. It has become a term used by many to denote an association with Georgian and Victo-

rian St Leonards. The photograph is of a charcuterie item made and marketed by Kings Butchers as

“Burtons St Leonards Sausages”.

It transpires that they have been so called to indicate that they are

made locally to a recipe discovered by the current owners when

they acquired the butchery founded by the Rymill family in the 19th

century. A Marquis of Sandwich gave his name to a popular type

of food so why should we be surprised that James Burton has

spawned a similar bequest!

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Membership of the Society

£15 per person per year or £25 per couple

Membership application details may be found on the Society’s website:

www.burtonsstleonardssociety.co.uk

The Society was registered in 1970 but conservation efforts leading to its foundation began

in the 1950s. Our campaign, backed by various organisations such as the Civic Trust and

the Georgian Group, resulted in the designation of Burtons’ St Leonards as a Conservation

Area by the local authority in 1969. Our aims are to:

• encourage high standards of architecture and town planning in St Leonards-on-Sea and prevent unsympathetic development

• stimulate interest in and care for the beauty, history and character of the area of St Leonards-on-Sea and its surroundings

• encourage the preservation, development and improvement of features of general in-terest, in particular the contribution made by James and Decimus Burton to the archi-tecture and town planning of St Leonards-on-Sea.

The Society keeps a vigilant eye on local planning applications, especially those affecting

listed buildings, and on alterations to such buildings made without planning consent.

For more information, please visit our website at:

www.burtonsstleonardssociety.co.uk

For further information, eg on specific events or for advice on architectural or planning

matters, please email: [email protected]

or contact the Society’s Chairman, Christopher Maxwell-Stewart, at

[email protected]

____________________

Note for existing members

If you are paying your membership subscription through your bank at an old subscription

rate, we shall be very grateful if you would amend this to the current rate(s) shown above.

Email

If you have an email address which you think we may not hold, we shall be glad to

have it. It will not be communicated to others except with your express consent. Use of

email saves us a very considerable amount of time and of money in printing and post-

age, and means that we can ensure that members receive communications much more

rapidly than is otherwise possible.